Vacuum cleaner including a removable canister assembly

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner including a pivot assembly having an interior, an exterior, and a pivot assembly electrical connector on the exterior of the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly electrical connector is electrically connected to an electrical component of a surface cleaning head. The vacuum further includes a cleaning wand having a cleaning wand electrical connector. The cleaning wand is received within the interior of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with a dirty air inlet of a cleaning head and to removably electrically connect the cleaning wand electrical connector to the pivot assembly electrical connector. The cleaning wand electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connector to provide power to the electrical component of the cleaning head from a power source.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/466,502, filed Mar. 3, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to floor cleaning devices and, more particularly, to vacuum cleaners including removable canister assemblies.

Upright vacuum cleaners are typically used to clean floor surfaces, such as carpeting. It is sometimes desirable to maneuver and operate in relatively confined areas. In addition, it is sometimes desirable to clean elevated surfaces, such as drapes, furniture, or steps, with an upright vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a vacuum cleaner including a surface cleaning head including a dirty air inlet and an electrical component. A pivot assembly is pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head. The pivot assembly includes an interior, an exterior, and a pivot assembly electrical connector on the exterior of the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly electrical connector is electrically connected to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head. A canister assembly is coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head. The canister assembly includes an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source. The canister assembly further includes a dirt separation unit and a suction source electrically connected to the electrical source connector and in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the dirt separation unit. The vacuum further includes a cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit and removably coupled to the pivot assembly. The cleaning wand includes a handle and a cleaning wand electrical connector. The cleaning wand is received within the interior of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and to removably electrically connect the cleaning wand electrical connector to the pivot assembly electrical connector. The cleaning wand electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connector to provide power to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head from the power source.

In another embodiment, a vacuum cleaner including a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet and an electrical component. A pivot assembly is pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head. The pivot assembly includes an elongated projection and a pivot assembly electrical connector within the elongated projection. The pivot assembly electrical connector electrically connected to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head. The pivot assembly further including a longitudinal axis. A canister assembly is removeably coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head. The canister assembly includes an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source. The canister assembly further including a dirt separation unit and a suction source electrically connected to the electrical source connector and in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the dirt separation unit. The canister assembly further includes an elongated recess and a canister electrical connector within the elongated recess. A cleaning wand is in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit and removably coupled to the pivot assembly. The cleaning wand includes a handle and the cleaning wand is received within the pivot assembly by sliding the cleaning wand along the longitudinal axis of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet. The canister assembly is removably coupled to the pivot assembly by sliding the canister assembly along the longitudinal axis to receive the elongated projection of the pivot assembly in the elongated recess of the canister assembly to electrically connect the canister electrical connector and the pivot assembly electrical connector. The canister electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connector to provide power to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head from the power source.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an alternative perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with a canister assembly removed.

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with the canister assembly removed.

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the canister assembly of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of a vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment with a canister assembly removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum cleaner 10. The vacuum cleaner 10 includes a surface cleaning head 12, a pivot assembly 14, and a canister assembly 16. The vacuum cleaner 10 further includes a cleaning wand 18. As will be discussed in more detail below, the canister assembly 16 is removably coupled to the cleaning head 12 and the pivot assembly 14. The cleaning wand 18 is removable from the pivot assembly 14 so that the canister assembly 16 and the cleaning wand 18 can be used for vacuuming apart from the cleaning head 12 and the pivot assembly 14. In one embodiment, discussed below, electrical power is supplied to the cleaning head 12 via the cleaning wand 18. In another embodiment, discussed below, electrical power is supplied to the cleaning head 12 via a connection between the canister assembly 16 and the pivot assembly 14. However, in both embodiments, the electrical connections allow for easy removal of the canister assembly 16 and the wand 18 and provide easy reattachment of the canister assembly 16 and the wand 18 to provide electrical power to the cleaning head 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the surface cleaning head 12 includes a dirty air inlet 22 and an electrical component 24. The electrical component 24 can include any electrical component that can be used in the cleaning head of a vacuum cleaner. For example, in one embodiment, the electrical component 24 includes a motor 25 that drive a brush or brushroll 27 that agitates the surface being cleaned. In other embodiments, the electrical component 24 may include a controller, such as the main controller for the vacuum 10. In yet other embodiments, the electrical component can include a sensor, such as a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and an electrical current sensor. In some embodiments, these sensors are used to determine whether there is a clog in the vacuum cleaner 10. For example, the sensors could detect one or more of the following to determine whether there is a clog in the vacuum cleaner: suction motor current, suction motor voltage, suction airflow, motor speed, optical sensors to determine whether there is a clog, or sound to determine whether there is a clog.

The pivot assembly 14 is pivotally coupled to the cleaning head 12. The illustrated pivot assembly 14 pivots relative to the cleaning head 12 about a first axis 26 and a second axis 28. The pivot assembly 14 pivots about the first axis 26 to rotate the canister assembly 16 and the pivot assembly 14 between an upright position (FIG. 1) and in inclined operation position. The pivot assembly 14 pivots about the second axis 28 to facilitate steering the vacuum cleaner 10 while in use.

Referring to FIG. 6, the pivot assembly 14 includes an upper end 30, a lower end 32, an interior 34 and an exterior 36. The cleaning head 12 is coupled to the pivot assembly 14 adjacent the lower end 32. The upper end 30 includes an aperture 38. The interior 34 is generally hollow and the aperture 38 and the interior 34 receives the cleaning wand 18. The exterior 36 includes a recess 40 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pivot assembly 14 further includes an electrical connector 42 located in the recess 40 of the exterior 36 of the pivot assembly. Therefore, the electrical connector 42 is located outside of the interior 34 of the pivot assembly 14 and exposed on the exterior 36 of the pivot assembly 14. The electrical connector 42 is electrically connected (e.g., by wires) to the electrical component 24 of the cleaning head 12. The illustrated electrical connector 42 includes a power terminal 44, a ground terminal 46, and a communication terminal 48. Although the illustrated electrical connector 42 includes three terminals, in other embodiments, the electrical connector may include more or less than three terminals. Also, although the illustrated electrical connector 42 is a pin type electrical connector, in other embodiments other types of electrical connectors can be utilized. Also, referring to FIG. 11, in other embodiments a support rib 50 extends across the recess 40. The support rib 50 provides additional structural support to the pivot assembly 14 in the area around the recess 40 while still maintaining the pivot assembly electrical connector 42 on the exterior 36 of the pivot assembly 14.

Referring to FIG. 7, the pivot assembly 14 defines a longitudinal axis 52. The longitudinal axis 52 extends generally centrally through the interior 34 of the pivot assembly 14. As will be discussed in more detail below, the cleaning wand 18 is received in the interior 34 of the pivot assembly 14 and removed from the interior 34 by sliding the cleaning wand 18 through the aperture 38 along the longitudinal axis 52. The pivot assembly 14 includes a latch 56 (FIG. 8) having a release button 62. The latch 56 removably couples the cleaning wand 18 within the interior 34 of the pivot assembly 14. The user removes the cleaning wand 18 from the interior 34 by pressing the release button 62 when the canister assembly 16 is removed to allow the user to slide the cleaning wand 18 along the axis 52. The latch 56 connects to a latch member 57 (FIG. 6) of the cleaning wand 18 to removably couple the cleaning wand 18 to the pivot assembly 14.

Referring to FIGS. 5-7, the pivot assembly 14 further includes an elongated projection 54 and a latch aperture 59 that removably couples the canister assembly 16 to the pivot assembly 14. As best seen in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the elongated projection 54 includes a plastic exterior 58 and a metal support member 60 at an interior. The metal support member 60 provides rigidity and strength to the long and hollow projection 54. In some embodiments, the plastic exterior 58 is molded onto or over the metal support member 60 as a single component.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the canister assembly 16 includes a dirt separation unit 66, a suction source 68, and an electrical source connector 70. The electrical source connector 70 connects to a power source (e.g., electrical outlet) to provide power to the vacuum cleaner 10, including the suction source 68. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical source connector 70 includes an AC power cord. However, in other embodiments, the electrical source connector 70 may include other types of electrical source connectors, such as battery terminals that connect to a battery (e.g., lithium ion rechargeable battery) that is coupled to the vacuum cleaner. The dirt separation unit 66 is in fluid communication with the suction source 68 such that the suction source 68 is operable to generate a suction airflow through the dirty air inlet 22 and through the dirt separation until 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the dirt separation unit 66 includes a cyclonic dirt separation unit. In other embodiments, other types of dirt separation units can be utilized, such as filters and/or filter bags. The suction source 68 includes a motor 72 and a fan 74.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 10, the canister assembly 16 further includes an elongated recess 76, projections 78, latch member 79, and a latch member release button 81 that facilitate removably coupling the canister assembly 16 to the pivot assembly 14. The elongated recess 76 is located at a bottom surface 80 of the canister assembly 16. The elongated recess 76 receives the elongated projection 54 of the pivot assembly 14. The projections 78 are received in the apertures 64 (FIG. 9) of the pivot assembly 14. The latch member 79 is received in the latch aperture 59 of the pivot assembly 14. The latch member 79 automatically retracts when pressed against the pivot assembly 14 and automatically extends (via spring bias) into the latch aperture 59 when the canister assembly 16 is in the proper positon. Therefore, the canister assembly 16 is removeably coupled to the pivot assembly 14 by simply sliding the canister assembly 16 along the longitudinal axis 52 of the pivot assembly 14. The elongated projection 54 of the pivot assembly 14 is received in the recess 76 of the canister assembly 16. Meanwhile, the latch member 79 extends into the latch member aperture 59. To remove the canister assembly 16 from the pivot assembly 14, the user pushes on the release button 81, which withdraws the latch member 79 from the aperture 59. This allows the user to lift the canister assembly 16 and slide the canisters assembly 16 along the axis 52. The vacuum cleaner 10 can be used with the canister assembly 16 removed because the electrical source connector 70 and suction source 68 are part of the canister assembly 16 and are removed with the canister assembly 16 from the pivot assembly 14.

Referring to FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner 10 further includes a flexible hose 82 in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit 66, the cleaning wand 18, and the dirty air inlet 22. Debris and the suction airflow enter the dirt separation unit 66 through the flexible hose 82. In the illustrated embodiment, the hose 82 includes a helical spring wire, a power wire, a ground wire, and a communication wire helically arranged adjacent the spring wire. The cleaning wand 18 is at an end of the hose 82 opposite the dirt separation unit 66.

The cleaning wand 18 includes a handle 92 and a rigid conduit 94. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the wand 18 further includes a cleaning wand electrical connector 96 adjacent an end of the conduit 94 opposite the handle 92. The illustrated cleaning wand electrical connector 96 includes a power terminal 98, a ground terminal 100, and a communication terminal 102. The terminals 98, 100, and 102 are electrically connected to the corresponding wire (i.e., power wire, ground wire, and communication wire) of the hose 82. The power and ground wires of the hose 82 are electrically coupled to the electrical source connector 70 of the canister assembly 16. The communication wire of the hose 82 can be electrically connected a sensor, such as a pressure sensor, temperature sensor, or electrical current sensor, of the canisters assembly 16. The illustrated terminals 98, 100, and 102 of the cleaning wand 18 are socket terminals that receive the pin terminals 44, 46, and 48, respectively, of the pivot assembly 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning wand electrical connector 96 includes a rubber cover 104 over the terminals 98, 100, and 102 to project the terminals 98, 100, and 102.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, in operation, the vacuum cleaner 10 can be used with the canister assembly 16 attached to the pivot assembly 14 in the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7. Debris and the suction airflow are drawn through the dirty air inlet 22, travels through the pivot assembly 14, conduit 94 of the wand 18, through the hose 82, and into the dirt separation unit 66. Debris is separated from the airflow and the debris remains in the dirt separation unit 66 while the relatively clean suction airflow travels through the suction source 68 before being exhausted from the canister assembly 16. Power is supplied to the suction source 68 from the electrical source connector 70. Power is supplied to the electrical component 24 of the cleaning head 12 by the power and ground wires of the hose 82, the wand electrical connector 96, and the pivot assembly electrical connector 42, which is electrically connected to the electrical component 24 of the cleaning head 12. In one embodiment, the primary controller of the vacuum 10 is located in the cleaning head 12. Sensor(s) in the canister assembly 16 are communicatively coupled to the controller via the communication terminal 48 of the pivot assembly electrical connector 42, the communication terminal 102 of the wand 18, and the communication wire of the hose 82.

During operation of the vacuum 10, it may be useful to remove the cleaning wand 18 from the interior 34 of the pivot assembly 14, for example, for above-floor cleaning. To remove the wand 18, the user removes the canister assembly 16 from the pivot assembly 14 as discussed above. Then the user pushes the release button 62 and pulls the handle 92 generally along the longitudinal axis 52 of the pivot assembly 14. The connection between the wand electrical connector 96 and the pivot assembly electrical connector 42 allows for easy disconnection and removal of the wand 18. The wand electrical connector 96 allows the user to electrically and communicatively connect the wand 18 and the vacuum 10 to an accessory tool to provide electrical power and control to the accessory tool.

In an alternative embodiment it may be desirable to provide electrical power and control to the cleaning head directly from the canister assembly rather than through the electrical connectors of the wand and pivot assembly. For example, in embodiments where the hose does not include power, ground, and communication wires. Referring to FIG. 12, in such embodiments, the elongated projection 54 includes a power terminal 110, a ground terminal 112, and a communication terminal 114 all located within the hollow projection 54 to protect the terminals. In such an embodiment, corresponding terminals are located in the elongated recess 76 (FIG. 7) of the canister assembly 16 to provide electrical and communicative connection between the canister assembly 16 and the cleaning head 12. Such an electrical connection still allows for the convenient and easy disconnection of the canister assembly 16 from the pivot assembly 14 discussed above.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a surface cleaning head including a dirty air inlet and an electrical component; a pivot assembly pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head, the pivot assembly including an interior, an exterior, and a pivot assembly electrical connector on the exterior of the pivot assembly, the pivot assembly electrical connector electrically connected to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head; a canister assembly coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head, the canister assembly including an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source, the canister assembly further including a dirt separation unit and a suction source electrically connected to the electrical source connector and in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the dirt separation unit; and a cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit and removably coupled to the pivot assembly, the cleaning wand including a handle and a cleaning wand electrical connector, the cleaning wand received within the interior of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and to removably electrically connect the cleaning wand electrical connector to the pivot assembly electrical connector, wherein the cleaning wand electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connector to provide power to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head from the power source.
 2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the electrical component includes a motor.
 3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the surface cleaning head includes a brush, wherein the motor is operable to move the brush relative to the dirty air inlet.
 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the electrical component includes a controller.
 5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the electrical component includes a controller and a sensor.
 6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the sensor is operable to sense an attribute selected from the group consisting of temperature, electrical current, electrical voltage, air flow, motor speed, optically whether there is an obstruction, sounds, and pressure.
 7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly electrical connector includes a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal, and wherein the cleaning wand electrical connector includes a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal.
 8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, further comprising a flexible hose including a helical spring wire, and a power wire, a ground wire, and a communication wire helically arranged adjacent the spring wire.
 9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly includes a recess, wherein the pivot assembly electrical connector is located within the recess on the exterior of the pivot assembly.
 10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further comprising a support rib that extends across the recess.
 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly includes an elongated projection and a longitudinal axis, wherein the canister assembly includes an elongated recess, wherein the cleaning wand is received within the interior of the pivot assembly by sliding the cleaning wand along the longitudinal axis, wherein the canister assembly is removably coupled to the pivot assembly by sliding the canister assembly along the longitudinal axis to receive the elongated projection of the pivot assembly in the elongated recess of the canister assembly
 12. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a surface cleaning head including a dirty air inlet and an electrical component; a pivot assembly pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head such that the pivot assembly is pivotable relative to the surface cleaning head, the pivot assembly including an elongated projection and a pivot assembly electrical connector within the elongated projection, the pivot assembly electrical connector electrically connected to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head, the pivot assembly further including a longitudinal axis; a canister assembly removeably coupled to the pivot assembly such that the canister assembly is supported above the surface cleaning head, the canister assembly including an electrical source connector configured to connect to a power source, the canister assembly further including a dirt separation unit and a suction source electrically connected to the electrical source connector and in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the dirt separation unit, the canister assembly further including an elongated recess and a canister electrical connector within the elongated recess; and a cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirt separation unit and removably coupled to the pivot assembly, cleaning wand including a handle, the cleaning wand received within the pivot assembly by sliding the cleaning wand along the longitudinal axis of the pivot assembly to removably couple the cleaning wand to the pivot assembly to place the cleaning wand in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet, wherein the canister assembly is removably coupled to the pivot assembly by sliding the canister assembly along the longitudinal axis to receive the elongated projection of the pivot assembly in the elongated recess of the canister assembly to electrically connect the canister electrical connector and the pivot assembly electrical connector, wherein the canister electrical connector is electrically connected to the pivot assembly electrical connector to provide power to the electrical component of the surface cleaning head from the power source.
 13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, further comprising a latch that removably couples the canister assembly to the pivot assembly.
 14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the elongated projection of the pivot assembly includes a plastic exterior and a metal support member at an interior of the elongated projection.
 15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the metal support member includes a hollow aluminum support member.
 16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the plastic exterior is integrally molded around the metal support member.
 17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the pivot assembly electrical connector is positioned in the metal support member.
 18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical component includes a motor.
 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the surface cleaning head includes a brush, wherein the motor is operable to move the brush relative to the dirty air inlet.
 20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical component includes a controller.
 21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical component includes a controller and a sensor.
 22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 21, wherein the sensor is operable to sense an attribute selected from the group consisting of temperature, electrical current, and pressure.
 23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pivot assembly electrical connector includes a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal, and wherein the canister electrical connector includes a power terminal, a ground terminal, and a communication terminal. 